Wooden building construction.



B. C. ROCKWELL. WOODEN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29, I917.

Patented May 7,1918.

I l I I/l N BYRD C. ROCKWELL, OF CAMDEN, ARKANSAS.

, WOODEN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1918.

Application filed August 29, 1917. Serial No. 188,856.

To all whom it may concern:

gBe it known that I, Brno C. ROCKWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Camden, countyof Ouachita, and State ofArkansas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in WoodenBuilding Construction, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specificat1on.

This invention relates broadly to wooden building structures, andpertains specifically to an improved construction for architecturalpieces suitable for use in interior finish and fittings, such ascasings, wainscotings, paneling, doors, and the like.

In material used for interior finishing, doors, and the like, it isdesirable to have the pieces clear and sound and of good grain markingso as to afiord a handsome finish and assure durable joining. In manyplaces, pieces of considerable thickness are required, for example, indoor stiles, ceiling beams, casing soflits, and the like.v In manywoods, clear pieces of sufficient thickness are very rare and are verycostly. In other woods, it is practically impossible to dry pieces ofsufficient thickness without their checking. Some woods, which are ofproper texture, are cut into veneer, which is then glued to a cheaperwood to form the finish surface. Many Woods, however, due to certaininherent characteristics, cannot be cut into veneer.

The object of my inventionis to provide a construction whereby thinsawed pieces suitable fora finish surface may be suitably joined toprovide members of the proper dimensions. Ancillary objects of the invention include the provision of such a construc tion which may bemanufactured very economically, so as to produce a very great savingover solid or finished material; to provide a construction wherein theparts are firmly secured in place in such fashion as to positivelyprevent any warping, distortion or checking of the member or of thefinish pieces; to provide a construction which is susceptible of use toproduce pieces of any desired dimensions; and to provide a constructionwhich permits of the cutting necessary in joining.

Other objects will be obvious or pointed.

out hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwh1ch Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a piece embodying myimproved construction Fig. 2 is a detail representing a longitudinalsection through such a piece at one of the tenon locks;

Fig. 3 is a detail representing a transverse section;

Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the manner of construction, the samebeing in the nature of a side elevation of a piece with parts brokenaway.

Referring to these illustrations in detail by use of the referencenumerals, let it be understood that the numerals l and 1 designate faceor finish pieces. These are preferably thin sawed parts having the grainrunning longitudinally, and of proper grade and graining to affordthedesired finish face or surface. They have the width and length desiredfor the finished member, but their thickness represents only a fractionof. the total thickness of the complete member. Due to this fact, theircost represents only a fraction of the cost of a solid piece of suitablegrade having the total thickness of the completed member. It having beendetermined which of the faces of these pieces shall be the finish faces,each piece is grooved transversely on the side opposite the finish faceto form shallow keyways designated by the numeral 2. The margins ofthese keyways are undercut to form the locking shoulders designated bythe numeral 4. The shoulders 4 at the opposite sides of a groovepreferably extend parallel to each other transversely of the piece.Thesegrooves are formed in the pieces 1 and l at any desiredlongitudinal intervals, their spacing being the same in the two pieces.Tenon pieces 5, in the nature of locking or wedging members, areprovided, their thickness bein such that when taken with the thicknessof the pieces 1 and 1 they will equal the desired thickness of thecompleted member. These tenon members may be made of any material havingthe desired firmness, and when made I of wood, as is preferable, theyshould be formed with the grain running longitudinally. On oppositesides the tenon members are formed with the extending dovetailed tenons,6 adapted to seat within the grooves 2 with their marginal portionsbehind the shoulders l. The length of the dove-tailed tenons on a member5 is less than the width of a slot 2, so that the tenons on two of themembers 5 may be accommodated within the same slot.

As will be best seen in Fig. 4, in which the angle is somewhatexaggerted, the edges 5 of the two associated members5 are arranged tobear upon each other, and are cut on a slight angle or miter. The totallength of the tenons 6 of the two associated tenon members, measured atthe wide side of one and the narrow side of the other, is somewhatgreater than the total width of the groove 2 in which they are to seat.The amount of this excess width may vary ac cording to the compactnessof the various woods.

In forming the member of the pieces 1 and 1, and tenon members 5, thesaid pieces are placed on edge in a form which will hold them againstmovement apart, the grooves 2 in one piece being disposed oppositecorresponding. grooves in the other piece. Streaks of glue are appliedalong the margins of the grooves and the shoulders 4, across the pieces,and also along lines which mark the extent of thetenon members 5 fromthe grooves. One of the tenon members 5 is then placed between themembers 1 and 1, the wide side of its tenons 6 being introduced first,and is forced home between the members 1 and l withthe margins of itstenons behind the shoulders 4 of the two pieces. The associated tenonmember 5 is then placed in position between the members 1 and 1 with themargins of its tenons behind the other shoulders 4 of the grooves, andwith its edge 5 against the similar edge of the associated tenon member.The shorter edge of this second member 5 is introduced first, as will beclearly understood by reference to Fig. 4, and suitable pressure is thenapplied to the member 5 to force it home between the members 1 and 1. Asit moves inwardly, due to the angle or miter of the cooperating edges5*, the tenon members 5 will be moved oppositely longitudinally of themembers 1 and 1, and will exercise a wedging action upon the latter byvirtue of the engagement of the tenon members 6 against the shoulders4E. The drying of the glue will secure the members in this relationship,in which the members 1 and 1 are firmly locked together by virtue of thedove-tailed engagement of the tenons 6 in the grooves 2.

It is essential that the cooperating faces 5* of the associated tenonmembers be absolutely square with their side faces, as it is theirbearing upon each other which holds the members 1 and 1 in alinement.The intervals between the tenon locks thus formed may be left unfilled,or may be filled with any desired suitable material. The edges of themember may be suitably faced with a thin strip 7 of suitable finished material, or if intended to receive paneling, or to be joined with othermembers, may be finished with any desired beading 8.

By virtue of this construction, I eifect a great saving over bothpresent forms, 71. 6., by use of the thin finish pieces the completedmember may be produced at a cost much below the cost of a suitable solidpiece of the same dimensions, while the cost of material and ofproduction in my construction is far below the cost of producing asuitable member of the same dimensions by the use of veneer to supplythe finish surface, as it requires less material, smaller pieces, andonly a very small fraction of the amount of glue. Moreover, a verydecided saving is efifected in the amount of labor required.

It is obvious that members may be made up in this fashion to supply awide variety of requirements, as to dimension, form and finish, and thatthey are susceptible of use in any place where finish material isrequired. The tenon locks may be disposed at any desired point toaccommodate the joints with associated members, hinges, locks, and otherfixtures. The structure is especially useful, moreover, in various formsof furniture, as it affords a very light construction, while at the sametime one very rigid and strong and free from distortion.

lVhile the form herein illustrated and described is illustrative of myinvention, I am aware that it is not the only form in which theinvention may be embodied or practised, and hence it is my purpose andintent that the appended claims comprehend not only the form shown, butalso any and all modifications, adaptations, and general arrangementswherein the substance and cssential spirit of the invention is embodiedor employed.

What I claim is:

1. A wooden building construction formed of two boards havinglongitudinal grain, said boards being disposed with side surfaces facingand being provided with grooves extending transversely in said facingsides, the said grooves being undercut into the material at theirmargins to provide overhanging shoulders, a tenon member having tenonson opposite sides arranged to register in said grooves and fit behindthe shoulder at one end of a groove on each board, and a cooperatingtenon member having tenons adapted likewise to fit within said groovesand behind a shoulder at the opposite end of each groove, said tenonmembers bearing on each other along margins extending obliquely relativeto the margins of the grooves.

' 2. A wooden building construction formed of two boards each having adove-tail groove extending transversely at one side thereof, said boardsbeing disposed with the grooves counterfacin'g, and a pair ofcoiiperating wedge member disposed between the boards and each havingdove-tailed tenons on opposite sides, one tenon of each wedge memberfitting within the dove-tail groove of one of the boards and the othertenon of each wedge member fitting within the dove-tail groove of theother board, said wedge members having bearing upon each other withinthe said grooves on margins extending transversely of the boards, thesummational length of the tenons seating in a groove exceedin the lengthof the groove when the material in which they are formed is at itsnormal compression or density.

3. A wooden building construction comprising a pair of boards eachformed with a transverse groove on one face thereof, said boards beingdisposed with the grooves counterfacing, and a pair of cooperating wedgemembers disposed between the boards, said wedge members each havinlaterally extending tenon portions seatlng within the grooves of the twoboards, said wedge members having bearing upon each other on marginsextending obliquely to the margins of said grooves, the summationallength of said tenon portions seating in a groove exceeding the lengthof the groove when the material in which they are formed is at itsnormal compression or density.

4. A built-up wooden structural member formed of two boards eachprovided with a plurality of transverse groove in one face, the saidboards being arranged spaced apart from each other and with theirgrooved portions counterfacing, and tenon members disposed between theboards and retaining them in fixed relationshi there being a pluralityof said tenon members disposed in cooperation with each of the groovesin each of the boards, and each of said tenon members be ing formed witha laterally extending tenon engaging in a portion of one of the groovesin each of the boards, the tenon members seating in a groove havingbearing upon each other on margins extending obli uely relative to amargin of said groove, an the summational length of the tenon seating ina groove exceeding the length of the groove when the material in whichthe tenons or the grooves are formed is at its normal compression ordensity.

5. The method of forming a wooden structural member which consists informin boards with transversely extending dove-tal grooves in one sideof each, disposin said boards with said rooves in counter acingrelationship, and orcing into said grooves by movement transversely ofsaid boards wedging tenon members having tenons seating in said groovesand cooperating with the margins thereof, the relative movement of saidtenon members operating to increase the distance between the effectivemargins of their tenons so as to exert a wedging pressure upon themargins of the grooves of both the boards.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature, this 22 day ofAugust, 1917.

BYRD G. ROCKWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

